Floating attachment for submarines



Sept. 23, 1930. e. w. PAULSON FLOATING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES Filed April 26, 1928 Patented Sept. 23, 1930 GEORGE W. PAULSON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON FLOATING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES Application filedApril 26,

My invention relates to submarines and floating attachments therefor.

Many lives have heretofore been lost under trying conditions, and much money has been 5 spent in futile attempts to raisesubmersible Vessels more commonly known as submarines which have become crippled and are .unable to rise to the surface by their own power, and these losses have occurred through delays caused by the difficulties in locating the submarine, and the inability to succor the crew after the submarine has been located.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment for submersible vessels, more l commonly known as submarines whereby in the first instance to mark the location on the surface of the water, of a crippled submarine, unable to rise to the surface by its own power, and in the second instance to E0 provide a floating device normally carriedby and secured adjacent the deck of the submarine but readily released so that it will rise to the surface of the water and carry with it tubular connections from the submarine through which fresh air and liquid food may be supplied to those confined in the latter.

A rther object of my invention is to provide an attachment of the character described incidentally adapted to serve in the locating of the crippled submarines also incidentally serving as an automatic depth measuring and registering instrument and as an illuminable beacon and whistle or horn actuated or thrown into action electrically from within 5 the submarine.

A still further object is to adapt these electrical control means to automatically open the means connecting the attachment and the submarine, by which fresh air will be sup- 0 plied when the other devices are actuated.

A further object of my invention is so to arrange the said floating attachment that after it has been released and floated to the top, it may be thrown into action or placed 5 in its operative state from within the submarine.

I attain these objects by providing a detachable float carried in a recess therefore provided in the deck of the submarine, means 0 operable from within the submarine for de- 1928. Serial No. 273,022.

taching the float, the float comprising a floa, chamber and auxiliary compartments above and below the float chamber divided from the latter by a water tight partition, the upper auxiliary chamber provided with ports leading to the atmosphere and covers therei for and means for securing said covers shut, such means operated by electro-magnetic devices operable from within the submarine and signalling means contained in said up per auxiliary compartment and controlled from within the submarine. Reels of flexible tubing are provided, carried by the lower auxiliary compartment, the upper ends of said tubing opening into said upper compartment, the lower ends of said tubing leading to the interior of the submarine and a reel of cable also contained in said lower compartment and connected with the submarine. Means carried by said float and operated by said cable reel for indicatin the lengthof the cable unwound and therfiiy the depth at which the submarine lies.

Other incidental objects and the details of construction and mode of operation of my 'invention are hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically my invention floating on the surface of the water and connected with the crippled submarlne;

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal vertical section of my invention and illustrates the details of construction Fig. 3 shows a top plan view of my invention;

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the upper compartment and illustrates the housing opened to the atmosphere;

Fig. 5 shows a vertical fragmentary section through one of the tubing drums, and illustrates further details of construction;

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal fragmentary section through the float and its recess'm the submarine and illustrates the details of construction thereof.

With reference to the figures, my invention comprises an enclosed fluid-tight rectangular housing a comprising a float, provided with an auxiliary compartment 1; at its top. The lateral wallsof the housing extend downwardly beyond the bottom 0 to form another auxiliary compartment b' in which are rotatably mounted a reel or drum 6, carrying a cable 7, and two. other reels or drums g carrying flexible hollow tubing h.

The drum 0 is fast on a shaft z j ournaled in supports 2' fastened to the exterior of the bottom wall 0 and the shaft is connected through a train of gears with a vertical shaft In extending upwardly through the housing a and into the compartment b, where it is connected by another train of gears Z with a suitable depth gauge m.

The drums g are mounted fast at one side,

on a stub shaftn iourna-led in a support n and on the other side the hubs of the drums are hollow as at- 0 and the inner end of the tubing h is connected therewith :as at h. Hollow shafts p are mounted in supports 1) and journaled inthe said hubs. The outer ends of the shafts 10 are connected through conduits 9 opening into the compartment 6. The compartment 12 comprises a roof 2 and opposite lateral hinged walls 3, normally closed to make the compartment-fluid tight. Arms 4 are fixed to the interior of the hinged walls, which are connected to a crank lever 5 pivoted in the housing as at 5.

A tension coil spring 7 is provided connected to each crank lever 5 and the roof of the compartment tending to hold the hinged sides open, Fig. 4. Catches 8 are provided adapted to engage the other end of the crank levers and hold the hinged sides normally closed, Fig. 2 and to be released by solenoids 6, thus permitting the hinged sides to open, by the action of the springs 7. In the circuit 9 of the solenoids are also provided an illuminable beacon 15, in the roof of the compartment and a horn 16 or other sound producing device.

The float is preferably arranged in a recess 11 in the deck of the submarine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, and is held therein, by a cover 12 flush with the. deck and secured thereto at each corner by bolts 13, rotatably mounted in the deck and threaded into the cover. The bolts are provided with handles 14 on the inner .ends, by which they may be conveniently operated.

. In the use of the float,'when the submarine 1s submerged and unable to rise by its own power the bolts 13 will be rotated which will tend to unscrew the bolts from the cover and lift and release it so that water may enter the recess and cause the float to rise b its buoyancy, the cable and tubing unwin ing as the float rises, and the train of gears j, Z operated by the unwinding of the cable drum will actuate the depth registerin instrument to record the number of feet 0 cable unwound and hence the depth at which the submarine' is located.

By actuating the solenoids 6, from within the submarine the hinged sides of the com partment will be opened, the catch 8 releasing the crank lever 5, the spring 7, drawing and holding the hinged sides open.

Simultaneously, and the horn 16 will be actuated.

With the opening of the doors when the housing has reached the surface, the conduits will then be connected With the atmos the illuminable beacon 15 when the float has been located submarine to drawit back into the submarine so that a stronger lifting cable may be drawn down and properly secured so that the submarine may be raised without the necessity of sending down a diver to pass cables around the hull.

I claim:

1. In a floating attachment for submarines comprising a float, consisting of a float chamber and upper and lower compartments divided from the float chamber by water tight partitions, and the upper compartment provided with doo'rs, means for holding the said doors closed, spring actuated levers for opening the said doors, and a solenoid actuated from within the submarine for releasing said door holding means.

2. In a floating attachment for submarines comprising a float, consisting of a float chamber and upper and lower compartments divided fromthe float chamber by water tight partitions, the upper compartment provided with doors, means for holding the said doors closed, spring actuated levers for openin the said doors, and a solenoid actuated rom Within the submarine for releasing said door holding means, drums j ournaled in said lower compartment, and flexible tubings wound on the other drums, the lower ends of the tubing being connected with the interior of the submarine andthe inner ends of the said tubin being connected with ducts in the journa bearings of the said drums, conduits leading from said ducts to said upper compartments whereby when said doors are opened one of said tubings will supply fresh air to the sub partitions, the upper compartment provided 1:

with doors, means for holding the said doors closed, spring actuated levers for opening the said doors, and a solenoid actuated from Within'the submarine for releasing said door holding means, drums j ournaled in said lower compartment, a cable connected with and 'wound on one of said drums, the other end of GEORGE W. PAULSON. 

